Founded in 1968, Hastings Entertainment, Inc. is a leading multimedia entertainment retailer that combines the sale of new and used books, videos, video games and CDs, and trends and consumer electronics merchandise, with the rental of videos and video games in a superstore format. Currently there are 146 superstores. Hastings also operates www.goHastings.com, an e-commerce Internet Web site that makes available to customers new and used entertainment products and unique, contemporary gifts and toys.

Question: Gee, this is a really long FAQ. Doesn't Hasting have their own FAQ for customers?Answer:

Game / Item ConditionQuestion: What is the difference between "used" and "previously viewed" items on GoHastings.Com?Answer:

Spoiler

"Used" games and movies are items that have been traded in to a Hastings retail location by a customer. "Previously viewed" games and movies are items that Hastings has rented out to customers at their retail locations but are now selling to the public.

When it comes to video games, most CAGs report no real difference between the two other than some ancillary stickers, but both "used" and "previously viewed" games are subject to being scratched, abused, or incomplete depending how well it was previously taken care of.

When it comes to movies, the "Previously Viewed" rental versions often lack features from the full retail versions and may come in different boxes, have different UPCs, have white barcode stickers around the center ring of the disc, etc.

You may encounter a situation where a customer has purchased a "previously used" item from Hastings, then traded it back into Hastings, thus making it a "used" item. This practiced is frowned upon by most customers, but Hastings has shown next to no incentive to change it. It mostly happens with movies.

Question: Do used and previously viewed video games come complete with the original case and manual?Answer:

Spoiler

GoHastings.Com states as follows:

Due to the nature of used products; booklet inserts, digital movie downloads and manuals are not guaranteed in our used video games, movies and CDs.

However, the vast majority of CAGs have reported that a large majority of their games do arrive complete. Incomplete games are more of an exception rather than the rule.

Question: Are used collector's editions and limited editions of games guaranteed to come with extras like bonus discs, statutes, and other items?Answer:

Spoiler

No. Hopefully the used CE and LE games would at least come with all of the discs, but this is not guaranteed. And there is absolutely no guarantee other physical items or "swag" will be included for these used copies. However, CAGs have reported that they have purchased used CE and LE games and received all of the extras. If you order a used CE or LE and it does not come with the extras, just contact customer service and ask about a return/refund.

Mosts CAGs seem to get games in good, playable condition if not better. However, there have been cases of receiving a game so scratched up that it would not load/play. These games can be returned to GoHastings.Com at no cost to the customer for a full refund.

NEW!Question: Are New condition games factory sealed or gutted and re-sealed?Answer:

Spoiler

As of mid-2013, Hastings retail stores have adopted a policy of gutting games then storing the game discs, manuals and DLC papers separately. This is so they do not have to lock up games or put security cases on games yet still allow the customer to physically handle the boxes in-store. When a new game is sold, Hasting will either re-seal the game or they will place the game in a bag that cannot be opened if you want to return the game as new.

ShippingQuestion: Why are my items shipping individually? Why does GoHastings.Com include a shipping charge for each individual item ordered?Answer:

Spoiler

Hastings does not have warehouses for fulfilling internet orders. All items are shipped from individual brick and mortar retail stores. If your order contains multiple items, your order may ship from multiple locations at different times if one location does not have all of the items you ordered. Because items could ship from more than one location, GoHastings.Com charges a per item shipping fee. Yes this can be frustrating, so its best to either get over it if you intend to shop at GoHastings.Com, or if you can't get over it, shop elsewhere. Like all "deals," include the shipping price per item into consideration for the total cost of the game being purchased.

UPDATED!Question: How much is shipping per item?Answer:

Spoiler

Video Games and PC software ship for $2.28 per item.

CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays ship for $1.29 per item.

Books have a per-order charge of $3.00 plus $0.99 shipping per book ordered.

Game Hardware, Electronics and Trends have a per-order charge of $1.99 plus $0.10 shipping per ounce for each item ordered.

Full shipping information, including expedited shipping prices, can be found HERE.

Please note, books used to ship for $0.96 per order with no per item charge but Hastings discontinued that pricing scheme as of January 10, 2014. CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays used to ship for $0.96 per item, but Hastings raised that price to the current cost as of approximately May 25, 2014.

Question: How long does it take GoHastings.Com to ship my order?Answer:

Spoiler

Standard Shipping:
Order processed within 48 Hours
Shipping time is 3-10 Days

Priority / Expedited Mail:
Order processed within 48 Hours
Shipping time is 2 - 3 Days

Question: Will GoHastings.Com give me a tracking number for each shipment?Answer:

Spoiler

Every shipment usually has a tracking number associated with it. If you did not see a tracking number in the shipping confirmation email, check your order history on GoHastings.Com.

Question: What will GoHastings.Com ship my items in?Answer:

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It will vary. Hastings might use a yellow paper mailer with bubble padding on the inside. They might use a white plastic envelope with bubble padding on the inside. They might use a stiffer paper/lighter cardboard envelope with no padding. Hastings will try to jam as many items into any of the above envelope options as possible, resulting in frequently damaged books, broken game/movie/CD cases, etc. On rare occasions, someone at Hastings will have the common sense to put larger or heavier items into a box for safer shipping, but even then they will neglect to use padding. Hastings used to ship items in a white plastic poly-bag with absolutely no padding or protection, but after numerous complaints, the company claims these are supposed to be phased out and no longer in use. They still pop up from time to time.

Order Cancellations / Out Of Stock ItemsQuestion: Why was an item cancelled out of my order? Why is that item back in stock right now?Answer:

Spoiler

GoHastings.Com fills their stock from their Hastings brick and mortar retail locations. Additionally, GoHastings.Com sells items on Amazon and eBay. Their online inventory system is antiquated and does not update stock instantaneously across physical store locations, GoHastings.Com, Amazon, and eBay. Therefore if someone bought the same item first in store/on Amazon/on eBay, their order will be fulfilled first and your item will be cancelled if there is not enough inventory to go around, even though you thought the item was in stock. Yes this sucks, but now you know about it so you can simply choose not to shop at GoHastings in the future if you can't deal with it. No need to endlessly complain about it in posts. Consider writing a letter to the president of Hastings, whose contact info can be found below this FAQ.

Because Hastings' physical store locations accept trade-ins for the used items that they sell, an item that was out of stock may quickly come back into stock if someone trades in the same item, or if someone returns the same item. However, as stated above, GoHastings.Com has an antiquated online system, and they will not be able to fulfill any items on your order once they have been canceled. You will have to re-order the item, at which time the promotion you initially ordered under may have expired. You can try to contact customer service to see if they will create a new order for you with the price point your originally ordered under.

Question: I just ordered something and now it shows as out of stock, either on my order history page or on the item's page. Will my order be canceled?Answer:

Spoiler

Probably not, but it is still possible. GoHastings.Com updates its inventory count immediately when sales from the website are made. Therefore if they had one item, and you ordered it, it will now show up as out of stock on GoHastings.Com. However, if someone ordered it off Hastings' eBay or Amazon Marketplace listings first, they may fulfill that order first and cancel your order. Also, if someone walks into the store and purchases the item before it is pulled to ship to you, your order will be canceled. Additionally, store employees may not be able to locate the item and thus cancel your order for that reason. Hastings also has a problem on their website where items in your order history show as out of stock, sometimes regardless of the actual stock. Your best bet is to take a deep breath and not worry about it.

Sale PricingNEW!Question: How can I tell if one promotion or discount is better than a different commonly offered promotion or discount?Answer:

Spoiler

The following guides are only for video games since they take into consideration the $2.28 per game shipping price. You will have to do your own math for music/movies, books, trends/electronics and other shipping sales.

Remember, stock and prices fluctuate constantly and may not be the same by the next sale.

The math in the Buy 2 Get 1 For $1 deal assumes you choose three equally priced games to maximize your potential savings.

Free Shipping:

Spoiler

Vs. 96¢ Per Item Shipping: Use free shipping, obviously
Vs. 20% Off: Use free shipping with items $11.40 and less
Vs. 25% Off: Use free shipping with items $9.12 and less
Vs. Buy 2 Used Games, Get 1 For $1: Use free shipping with items $7.84 and less
Vs. 30% Off: Use free shipping with items $7.60 and less
Vs. 33% Off: Use free shipping with items $6.91 and less
Vs. 40% Off: Use free shipping with items $5.70 and less

96 Cent Shipping:

Spoiler

Vs. Free Shipping: Wait for Free Shipping, obviously
Vs. 20% Off: Use 96¢ shipping with items $6.60 and less
Vs. 25% Off: Use 96¢ shipping with items $5.28 and less
Vs. Buy 2 Used Games, Get 1 For $1: Use 96¢ shipping with items $4.96 and less
Vs. 30% Off: Use 96¢ shipping with items $4.40 and less
Vs. 33% Off: Use 96¢ shipping with items $4.00 and less
Vs. 40% Off: Use 96¢ shipping with items $3.30 and less

20% Off:

Spoiler

Vs. Free Shipping: For items over $11.40, use 20% Off
Vs. 96 Cent Shipping: For items over $6.60, use 20% Off
Vs. Buy 2 Used Games, Get 1 For $1: For items under $2.50, use 20% Off

25% Off:

Spoiler

Vs. Free Shipping: For items over $9.12, use 25% Off
Vs. 96 Cent Shipping: For items over $5.28, use 20% Off
Vs. Buy 2 Used Games, Get 1 For $1: For items under $4.00, use 25% Off

30% Off:

Spoiler

Vs. Free Shipping: For items over $7.60, use 30% Off
Vs. 96 Cent Shipping: For items over $4.40, use 30% Off
Vs. Buy 2 Used Games, Get 1 For $1: For items under $10, use 30% Off

Buy 2 Get 1 For $1:

Spoiler

Vs. Free Shipping: Use free shipping with items $7.84 and less
Vs. $0.96 Shipping: Use 96¢ shipping with items $4.96 and less

33% Off:

Spoiler

Vs. Free Shipping: For items over $6.91, use 33% Off
Vs. 96 Cent Shipping: For items over $4.00, use 33% Off

40% Off:

Spoiler

Vs. Free Shipping: For items over $5.70, use 40% Off
Vs. 96 Cent Shipping: For items over $3.30, use 40% Off

Question: GoHastings.Com totally raised their prices prior to the sale! OMGWTFBBQSauce! Should I call the police / attorney general / president of the United States?Answer:

Spoiler

GoHastings.Com claims to not raise their prices prior to sales. Their pricing is based on algorithms that consider things like supply, demand, competitor pricing, market rates, etc. If a game was $10 before the sale and $15 24 hours into the sale, chances are there were only a couple of copies of the game and someone bought one when the sale started, thus affecting the supply and demand. You are not the only one monitoring a Wish List on GoHastings.Com. However, there have been some clearly documented instances of raising prices right before a sale, especially with books rather than games.

Promotional Deal CodesQuestion: Why is the promotional code not applying to my order?Answer:

Spoiler

Certain M-rated games carry the disclaimer that "This item is only available for purchase by customers age 17 and older." If you have such a game in your cart, be sure to check the box by the "Check Out" button that says "I am at least 17 years of age" before clicking the "Apply Promotion Code" button to apply the promotional code.

Additionally, some promotional codes only apply to select qualifying titles. Be sure that your order only contains such titles. Occasionally the GoHastings.Com programmers miss something and games that are supposed to qualify do not work with the promotional code. If this is the case, please contact GoHastings.Com. Contact information can be found below this FAQ.

Question: Can I use more than one promotional code at the same time? Can I stack promotional codes?Answer:

Spoiler

No, you can only apply one promotional code per order. This prevents code stacking. If there are two promotional codes valid at the same time that you would like to use, you must place two or more separate orders.

Question: What time do promotions normally begin / end?Answer:

Spoiler

GoHastings.Com operates based on the Central Time Zone. Weekly promotions usually start on Sunday and usually last the whole week. Various other promotions may have different start times and durations. Promotions usually begin at midnight Central time. However, sometimes the new promotions take a while to go "live" on the website, so always double check your order that the correct discounted price is shown.

Order Problems and Contacting Customer Service(Including Returns/Replacements for Wrong Item or Damaged/Defective Item)Question: I am trying to place an order and have entered my correct shipping address, billing address and credit card info. The check out page says there is a problem with my information and I need to correct it, but nothing is incorrect. What is going on?!Answer:

Spoiler

This is a random error that seems to affect some people and not others. There is no known cause for it. People have reported it occurring with different credit card companies (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, etc.). Some people think it has to do with what web browser you use, so perhaps try a different one. Some people have reported they can't place orders from computers or IP numbers located out of the state where their billing or shipping address is located. The bottom line is there is no fix for this problem from the customer's end. Your only attempt to get it resolved will be to CALL Customer Service. Contact details for Customer Service can be found below this FAQ.

Question: GoHastings.Com sent me a defective game or the wrong game. How do I return it? Can they send me a replacement/correct item?Answer:

Spoiler

Contact customer service to initiate the return process. Customer service contact information is located in this post, below the FAQ. GoHastings.Com will not charge you to ship the game back, and they will give you a full refund, including what you paid initially for shipping. In some instances, they will simply refund the cost of the item and let you keep the defective or wrong item for free. GoHastings.Com will not normally send you a replacement item if you received a defective or incorrect item. They will usually tell you that you must place a new order, at which time the promotion you initially ordered under may have expired. You can try to contact customer service to see if they will create a new order for you with the price point you originally ordered under.

Question: Something went wrong with my order. How do I contact customer service?Answer:

Spoiler

Customer service contact information is located in this post, below the FAQ.

Question: Should I call or email customer service?Answer:

Spoiler

CAGs have reported mixed experiences with both calling and emailing Hastings Customer Service. It is up to your preference. If you are contacting them regarding credit card issues, it may be best to call rather than put highly sensitive information in an email. If you call during business hours, your issue may be resolved right then over the phone. You might also have to wait on hold for a long period of time during peak hours. If you email, you may have to wait up to 48 hours to get a response, especially if you email over the weekend. Often the email replies fail to understand your entire issue with your order. Customer Service contact information is located in this post, below the FAQ.

Question: What is GoHastings.Com return policy?Answer:

Spoiler

The GoHastings.Com website states their return policy is as follows:

All items purchased through gohastings.com may be returned for a full refund of the purchase price, if they meet the following criteria:

All new items are in original unopened packaging.

Return of product is within 30 days of shipping date.

Returned product(s) must be in the original packaging and include any manuals, cabling and accessories in saleable condition.

Video Game Systems that are found defective within the 30 day window must make a return using the manufacturer's warranty.

Shipping and handling charges are not refundable.Note: Products purchased through goHastings.com may not be returned to a physical store location for refund.

However, this can be confusing considering used items, such as games, come in opened packaging. Normally GoHastings has no problem with returns for defective or incorrect used game shipments that are promptly requested. At the very least, if a game item was found to be defective within 30 days of the shipping date, you would have a good argument toward customer service that you should be able to return the game item. Abusing the return policy to replace your own broken items with items from GoHastings inventory wouldn't be a good idea.

MiscellaneousQuestion: Does GoHastings.Com collect sales tax?Answer:

Spoiler

According to GoHastings.Com:

Currently goHastings.com only charges sales tax in states where we have a physical presence. Sales taxes are calculated during the ordering process and will show tax charged for the delivery destination, based on current tax rates. Shipping charges may also be subject to tax in certain states.
Currently sales tax is automatically applied in the following states:

Alabama

Arkansas

Arizona

Colorado

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Indiana

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Mexico

Oklahoma

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Washington

Wyoming

Question: Where are Hastings brick and mortar retail stores located?Answer:

Question: Are the online prices the same in store? Are the online specials valid in store?Answer:

Spoiler

Generally speaking, no. For used items and for some new items, GoHastings.Com uses algorithms where prices can change multiple times in one day. Hastings retail locations have their own set prices. See your local store for more information. Additionally, online special sales and promotions are not valid in store. Sometimes Hastings runs the same pricing online and in store for certain items.

Sweet, the other thread being locked was rather strange. Hopefully they have another % and free shipping deal soon. That is when I stock up on some games! I like this deal of the day that they are doing as well.

I saw this deal earlier at 2AM today, and I tried looking through the items to see what they had, and all I got was a blank page. I tried adding some Music games to my cart and using the coupon, but it didn't work.

The BOGO on "music" titles is still valid. The only qualifying titles are the ones I listed and linked to. Those were pulled straight from the "qualifying titles" link before GoHastings killed the link when they changed the deal.

I updated the OP to reflect the BOGO on PSP games, and updated the FAQ.

Sweet, the other thread being locked was rather strange. Hopefully they have another % and free shipping deal soon. That is when I stock up on some games! I like this deal of the day that they are doing as well.

Don't ever forget to order movies and music when they have a free shipping sale. So many bargains. I got like 50-60 DVDs for ~70 bucks.

I was hoping Kodave would take this up...pleasantly surprised.
The old one was locked before it became an all out shit fest.
Was going to re-open it with the next week's deal...but meh...no skin off my back.
I'll no longer feel obligated to counter the ignorance goHasting threads seem to attract...whew .

If you don't keep it updated, you know others will just create new threads if they receive emails first...patience is not a virtue here.

Good luck with the thread Kodave, maybe this thread will receive more respect.

I was hoping Kodave would take this up...pleasantly surprised.The old one was locked before it became an all out shit fest.Was going to re-open it with the next week's deal...but meh...no skin off my back.I'll no longer feel obligated to counter the ignorance goHasting threads seem to attract...whew .

If you don't keep it updated, you know others will just create new threads if they receive emails first...patience is not a virtue here.

Good luck with the thread Kodave, maybe this thread will receive more respect.

Thanks.

Hopefully the extensive FAQ will help eliminate some ignorance, but that requires people to actually read it before they post a question.

And there are always going to be new comers and "veterans" here on CAG who don't search the forums to find threads before they race to post a new deal, but this thread is Wiki'd so hopefully people will just update the OP instead of making new threads.

Speaking of which, I updated the OP to reflect today's DOTD, though it does not seem like the prices are in effect yet. This happened yesterday with NCAA Football 11, but eventually it was updated to the sale price.

Edit: Also updated the OP with over a week's worth of upcoming DOTD's. I hope Hastings isn't just running DOTD's instead of also having promotional code deals like % offs, B2G1, and shipping discounts.

Hastings has had some of the best sales on used stuff of any retailer so far this year. Hope they keep it up. Did the psp sale already happen like someone said?

The PSP sale was the day before yesterday. For some reason GoHastings pulled the music sale and ran the PSP sale. Surprisingly no one here on CAG cared about the PSP BOGO. But they might potentially re-run it tomorrow. I suspect they might bump up another one of those upcoming deals though.

So I take it prices don't get updated right away (as someone posted earlier)? What time do they go live? I was trying to get Halo Reach and it is $18.98, even though I went to the video game section and clicked the $9.99 sale banner within the site itself .

So I take it prices don't get updated right away (as someone posted earlier)? What time do they go live? I was trying to get Halo Reach and it is $18.98, even though I went to the video game section and clicked the $9.99 sale banner within the site itself .

GoHastings has a terribly designed and coded website. It would not surprise me if the banner was triggered to change at a certain time, but the actual price reduction or deal had to be manually activated, and someone was asleep at the wheel tonight.

I almost suspect that if they can't get the price change to work for whatever reason, they'll just change the deal for the day.

You could try sending them a Tweet or writing on their Facebook wall. I'd guess an employee would notice and respond to that faster than emailing them or calling them. I'd hope someone would show up to work around 8 or 9 AM CST and notice the problem at the very least.

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